Florida-based Doroni Aerospace plans to begin delivering its H1-X personal eVTOL aircraft to customers in 2028, following a prototype flight test campaign that began in early 2023.
The company publicly unveiled a full-scale showroom engineering model of the H1-X at its headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida, on March 26.
Doroni has been flight testing prototype hardware since February 2023, when it completed tethered hover tests, yaw, pitch and roll testing, and propulsion and autopilot integration with its earlier H1 prototype. An untethered hover flight followed days later at the company’s 13,000ft² (1,208m²) research and development facility in Pompano Beach, Florida.
In July 2023, CEO and founder Doron Merdinger piloted the H1 prototype himself, in what is believed to be the first piloted flight of a two-seat personal eVTOL in the USA. The aircraft had completed more than 50 test flights prior to that milestone.
The H1-X is the successor to the H1 and features a tandem wing configuration with in-wing electric ducted fans for vertical lift and two rear-mounted pusher propellers for forward cruise. The aircraft is powered by a 65kWh battery and 350kW distributed electric propulsion system, delivering a top speed of 120mph (193km/h), a cruise speed of 95mph (153km/h) and a range of 60 miles (97km) on a flight time of up to 40 minutes. It weighs 1,850 lb (839kg) and can carry a payload of 500 lb (227kg).
Unlike most eVTOL developers, which are focused on multi-passenger air taxi services, Doroni is developing the H1-X as a personal aircraft. The company says it is designed to be stored in a standard two-car garage and can take off vertically from a driveway. A single joystick provides flight control, with push-button takeoff and landing.
The H1-X will integrate what Doroni calls its Soul AI Digital Copilot, an onboard system designed to assist with navigation, control and real-time decision-making. The company says the system is intended to simplify operation for pilots with minimal training.
Doroni plans to pursue certification under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rule as a light sport aircraft.
The MOSAIC framework, finalized in July 2025, expanded the light sport aircraft category to include powered-lift aircraft and electric propulsion systems, removing previous weight restrictions and allowing certification using industry-developed consensus standards. Under the rule, H1-X pilots would require just 20 hours of flight training.
The company secured a US$30 million investment from Saudi Arabia-based Kingdom Aero Industries in February 2025. The agreement includes plans for a joint venture to manufacture the H1-X in Saudi Arabia from 2027, alongside US-based production. Doroni says it has received more than 600 pre-orders for the aircraft, which is expected to cost between US$300,000 and US$400,000.
“The unveiling of the H1-X marks a major step toward making personal flight a practical reality,” said Merdinger. “We’re showing what it actually looks like in the real world and fundamentally changing how people move.”
